EE UK Makes New Wi-Fi 7 Smart Hub Pro Broadband Router Available
Mobile network operator and UK ISP EE (BT) has today made their new Qualcomm powered WiFi 7 router (Smart Hub Pro) and wireless booster (Smart Wi-Fi Pro), which were soft launched earlier this month (here), available to both new and existing customers of their fixed line home FTTP broadband packages.
In case anybody has forgotten, WiFi 7 introduces a number of new features, such as using the extra 6GHz channel with 320MHz of channel bandwidth for much broader capacity (Wi-Fi 6E is 160MHz), as well as Multi Link Operation (MLO), which allows data to be sent over multiple bands simultaneously, and 4K QAM, which offers up to 20% increase in peak data transmission performance (plus other enhancements). In short, WiFi 7 is both significantly faster and better at managing wireless congestion.
As of today, the WiFi 7 equipped Smart Hub Pro and Smart Wi-Fi Pro are being included as standard on EE’s top 1.6Gbps speed FTTP based Busiest Home and Made for Gamers broadband bundles. Alternatively, both devices are also available as add-ons to Full Fibre customers taking out EE Full Fibre 150Mbps and above for an extra £10 per month
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When used together with the new Smart Hub Pro, Smart WiFi Pro (wireless signal booster) will give Full Fibre 150 and faster customers a minimum of 100Mbps WiFi connection in every room, with a money-back guarantee if it fails to deliver. Otherwise, we’ve re-pasted the specs for the new kit below.
Smart Hub Pro
Wireless Spec
Wi-Fi 7
802.11be
6Ghz 320Mhz 4×4
5GHz 160Mhz 4×4
2.4GHz 40Mhz 4×4Processor
Qualcomm Bells IPQ9570
Quad Core 2.2GhzMemory
Flash 8GB
RAM 2GBWired Connections
1 x 2.5Gbps WAN (Ethernet)
4 x 2.5Gbps LAN (Ethernet)
Wired ConnectionsDSL Technology
FTTP OnlyNFC
Supported (currently configured for Guest Wi-Fi)Complete (Mesh) Wi-Fi Support
Yes (Smart WiFi Pro)Digital Voice Support
Yes (DECT/FXS)Hybrid Connect Support
YesEE TV Support
YesEE App Support
Yes (setup and operation)On/Off/Dim Light Control
Integrated Password Card
Casing 95% PCR
Dimensions H:230mm W:110mm D:120mm
(Dimensions with stand) H:230mm W: 103mm D:102mm
Smart WiFi Pro
Wireless Spec
Wi-Fi 7
802.11be
6Ghz 320Mhz 4×4
5GHz 160Mhz 4×4
2.4GHz 40Mhz 2×2Processor
Qualcomm Miami IPQ5322 Quad Core 1.5GhzMemory
Flash 4GB
RAM 1GBWired Connections 2 x 2.5Gbps LAN (Ethernet)
Compatibility Smart Hub Pro
EE TV Support Yes
EE App Support Yes (setup and operation)
On/Off/Dim Light Control Yes
Casing 95% PCR
Dimensions H:220mm W:50mm D:170mm
(Dimensions with stand) H:220mm W:58mm D:154mm
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
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I’ve been reading on various threads there’s quite significant technical issues with the new hub?
Wouldn’t surprise me. The early firmware on the BT Smart Hub 1 was dreadful and it probably took 6 months of updates before it was sorted. I would say if you’re thinking of upgrading to give it 12 months and let them refine the firmware first.
I am not sure what they are, I have had no issues with my Hub Pro and Wifi Pro.
threads on where? this site’s own forum has no real mention of it.
although you have to take any personal opinion with a pinch of salt. look at all the people who think disabling ipv6 and splitting SSIDs solves all problems…
Probably the best for the money ISP router and mesh kit
The actual experience of using the Hub Pro and Wifi Pro has been surprisingly good. NO technical issues at all for me, and the speeds kick my old tp link mesh system. The EE App updates so you can install and control the system with ease.
I checked with EE earlier today. The first advisor said it wasnt being launched for a few months. I told him it was available today so he put me through to someone else who said it (wifi7 router) was only available with the 1.6gbit package! Will try again later and hopefully the advisors will have been told by then! You would think the sales advisors would know these things.
Can’t you purchase online if you are really interested?
Anon:
No i checked. But its on their site when i try a new customer order/check (but not as an upgrade).
You can order it on the 900 package for £10 extra a month this allows you to add TV (Online) but the 1.6 which includes the Hub Pro doesn’t allow TV (Still)
Who’s money?
No-one is money. Money is a financial concept. People are living things. People can have money, but they can’t be money.
100Mbps Wi-Fi guarantee is a good one to commit to, I think ISPs like Vodafone will only guarantee 10Mbps which is hardly worth having.
3 months in , multiple phone calls and EE still cannot pair the Smart Hub plus to the My EE app or able to view online broadband bills, anyone any ideas why the cannot achieve this simply function?
Yes they have to link a different email address to a new account number. Each EE ID can only be linked to one email address. They do it over the phone. Just did it after 2 months of issues. Get them to add your broadband to a new or 2nd email address to log in with. You can keep the same contact details.
Thanks but they can’t link it to a different email address, I’ve tried multiple times, I’m a BT to EE migration customer , then there’s the problem of them sending multiple passcodes for mobile and separate broadband accounts even thou it’s the same address, it’s a complete frigin mess. With BT, one account number all products worked , I’ll try 1 last time with a completely new desperate id
Hames,
Yes they can link your account to a different email address. They did it yesterday with me, as a former BT FTTP customer. They had a BTConnect login, which is no longer used so the advisor created a new user ID on their end and then linked it to my hotmail address. Then they added my broadband account to my hotmail address/login. Also they said they would move my mobile details but that takes 5 days and add it to my hotmail login. It depends who you talk to. Ask to talk to someone who deals with email logins.
Its all well and good but whats the point in a wifi7 router when no devices have wifi7 built in yet?
you get the 6GHz band for any wifi 6E devices you have today, and of course you get a futureproof device.
there are a number of wifi 7 devices out there anyway. if you’re inclined to DIY you can get Intel Wi-Fi 7 cards for desktops and laptops pretty cheaply too.
Huh? I have a phone and laptop both with WiFi 7. Admittedly they are pretty new. But it’s certainly not “no devices”
Yes but lots of motherboards support 2.5gbe ports and have done for a few years now. I would like it for that as well as wifi7.
Some devices are shipping now with WiFi 7. The thing is if you double down on that mentality, we wouldn’t progress. WiFi certified routers are always backwards compatible as well so there is usually no harm having the latest standard available.
iPhone 16’s out on Friday all have Wifi 7
All iPhone 16 models, PS5 Pro, Samsung’s last couple of Ultra phones and probably some other phones using Qualcomm wireless chipsets already or soon support Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be)
The sooner early adopters shift some of their radio spectrum use to ~6GHz, and use all frequencies more efficiently, the sooner it also benefits people who aren’t upgrading yet.
I don’t get this wanting the newish router when the old router is fine. Sure send out a new router to new customers, that is if there are none of the old ones left, but why send out new super-duper routers to customers, most of which would not even notice the difference?
A waste of resources, just like phone networks who are giving people new phones every year or two.
Most people’s hardware will not support it anyway and even if it does, I doubt they will notice, unless they have super high speed broadband and then i wonder if they would.
Just a waste, I have so many different routers here, it is crazy. Most of them will never be used again, mainly because they were used on ADSL/VDSL. I do have an old TP link, which to be honest is a good router, but the Wi-Fi is 2.4Ghz only, but to be honest, I would use it now if it would support all my Wi-Fi devices, but I have too many for it to use .
Maybe I should have got a Wi-Fi access point, but by the time you pay out for one of them, may as well get a new router.
Ad47UK:
Coming from someone who upgraded to FTTP didnt you? I want the new router as its got a 2.5gbe port so i can transfer to other NAT devices at that speed. I also want to get 1.6gbit over ethernet, so again i need a new router. Its called progression and its the same old argument – if you dont want it dont buy it.
One has to come first. If there are no 7 routers then what would you connect new devices to? There are also already a fair few mobiles with it, including the Google Pixel range.
And if you choose not to use the new features, a lot of mesh systems let you use a band for a dedicated backhaul (like my tp link xe75 pro kit let’s me use 6GHz).
“Build it and they will come” is quite apt right about now.
@Ad47uk
If I stuck with my old router then I wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the 2.3Gbps connection that’s coming to my house soon.
Same as if I stick with my old hardware that worked fine I would be limited to wireless N. My old routers from years ago still work but that’s not reason enough to keep using them.
New features like 2.5GB ethernet and not only high speed but low latency Wi-Fi are good examples.
My old Netgear router (good old DG834) still works but only has 100MB ethernet ports…
I thought the smart hub pro and smart wifi pro – you can’t purchased it to own it? It’s still belong to EE as a rental.
In most cases they use WiFi to boost profits as they charge quite a vit extra to rent the wifi,
well yeah, of course ISPs are providing additional *opt in* products for you to choose to take if you want them. nothing stopping you from DIYing if you really want to (and given the cost of wifi 7 routers/mesh right now – you probably don’t)
though if you’re on EE 1.6 you get this router and extenders at no extra cost anyway.
“the wifi” is provided at no extra cost on all of their plans of course.
Why did they have to make it look like, and I’m not sure which more so, a hand soap dispenser or a giant exclamation mark.
Either way, got to be the ugliest router in existence.
And don’t get me started on hiding tiny aerials inside to make them more living room friendly.
But we can be thankful it doesn’t use EEs colour scheme.
It would be nice to be able to upgrade…I am on 900Mbps so unfortunately cant upgrade to this speeds and router what is really frustrating how they treat customers!
it would be great if this was actually available, i have spent a whole morning on the Phone to be told they had to fill in a form to request this from another team, although this is advertised as available now.im very excited for this router as i may actually get the whole 1.6 now instead of being limited to 1.0 through the ethernet ports.
Is there any likelihood of plusnet customer receiving one of these?
Maybe in a couple of years…
That’s if they don’t double down and fold plusnet into oblivion.
They already ditched their mobile service.
Virtually zero chance!
Can anyone answer this question, I have been looking on the EE website, re the new 1.6gb service’s, and it says that a home digital phone service is not available on these plans? If so why not?
I’ve got the 900mb package with BT/EE. Not impressed at all as during the evening (after 7pm) the speeds aren’t fast enough for 1080p streaming never mind 4k and you can’t game on it either as the ping is too high and it won’t stay connected to the server. That’s not a router issue it’s just the local network not having the capacity. Don’t know anyone in my area with full fibre who doesn’t have the same issues I do.
Does anyone know if the Smart Wifi Pro (the wifi extenders) can be powered by POE (power over ethernet)? I know the Hub doesn’t support POE but I am thinking I could use a switch in between and inject poe through the switch.